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I’m in love with you.

The words sounded familiar, like she’d heard them already – probably somewhere in her head. It wasn’t a place she liked to visit, but the sound of it wasn’t new. Not entirely.

But the fact that they’d been said? That he’d have the guts – the nerve – to say them. Well.

The rest of it could only be described as a blur. That she’d mustered the strength to speak at all was…

Surreal. She thinks maybe she cried. But only after he walked away.

Or did she walk away? Doesn’t make much difference anyway. She lied about a lot of things – to herself, especially – but she knew who was really doing the leaving.

Too late for apologies.

Fuck.

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“I will.”

And there he was – so damned close it felt like déjà vu. She hoped to get the words out before – before.

“Listen, Conan – “